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| Jupiter and Io, Antonio da Correggio, c. 1530, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna |
Correggio and the Loves of Jupiter
(an excerpt from a paper I wrote in 2010)
During the
Renaissance, many artists became fascinated by mythological subject matter. The
works of Correggio and Titian around 1520 marks what Barkan refers to as an,
“Ovidian Renaissance.”[1]
These artists, and many more after them, found Ovid’s Metamorphoses to be a rich source of artistic inspiration. The
classical work contains many stories pertaining to Greek Gods and their
interactions with the mortal world. These stories are often dramatic narratives
detailing the romantic dramas of their subjects. The narratives of these Gods are
characterized by themes such as love, longing, hatred and jealousy. The
overarching idea, however, as the title suggests, is that of metamorphosis.
Gods take up various guises, in animal forms or otherwise, or else they turn
unlucky people into non-human form, such as Arachne who is transformed into the
spider or Daphne who is metamorphosized into the laurel tree. Other stories
detail transformations that result from the desperation of love, such as Echo
who wastes away to a disembodied voice when Narcissus does not return her
amorous attentions. Narcissus, in turn, falls in love with his own reflection
and stares at it so long, unable to embrace it, that he transforms into the
Narcissus flower. The drama and magical quality of these narratives
understandably made them attractive subjects for artists. These themes of
attraction and metamorphosis, as we will see, are strongly taken up by
Correggio in his Amori di Giove or
the Loves of Jupiter, which depict
some of the Olympic God’s love affairs.
Correggio can be
considered one of the most significant Northern Italian painters of the first
half of the 16th Century. The Emilian artist was born Antonio
Allegri, but is known as Correggio.[2]
Correggio was not a particularly learned man, and did not move in humanist
circles.[3]
Despite this, he still found artistic inspiration in Antiquity. He was
stylistically and technically innovative in his time and the exoticism of his
artworks make the pieces seem more 18thC than Renaissance.[4]
The popularity of Correggio’s paintings, both during the Renaissance and today,
stems from their aesthetic appeal; the soft textures, the subtle expressions,
the beautiful, young subjects. The sensuality and delicacy of his works
strongly influenced the later rococo artists, and his paintings are seen as the
precursor to this stylistic period.[5]
The 18thC French artist Boucher was particularly effected by the work of Correggio.[6]
In fact, Boucher even painted the same subject of Leda and the Swan.
Although few in
number, Correggio’s mythological works are considered the masterpieces of his
oeuvre.[7]
Mythologies are Correggio’s strong suit because the nature of their subject
matter provided a challenge that allowed Correggio’s technical skill to excel.[8]
Further to this point, Correggio’s talent is also exemplified in his ability to
conceive of these subjects in an essentially unique way. Of his Loves of Jupiter the Jupiter and Io and the Leda and the Swan are especially
original in their conception. Correggio not only reinterprets or, one might
even say reinvents Ovid’s myths, but he also seems to break away almost
entirely from contemporary depictions of these types of subjects.
The Loves of Jupiter consists of four
paintings which each depict one of the God’s romantic liaisons, Io, Ganymede, Danae and Leda. The similar dimensions between the
Io and Ganymede suggest they are intended as a pair, and likewise for the Leda and Danae.[9]
All painted after 1520, these were Correggio’s last mythological works.[10]
The series was commissioned by Federico II Gonzaga the 5th Marchese
of Mantua and were presented to the emperor Charles V.[11]
These works date towards the last four years of Correggio’s life and are some
of the most erotic artworks of the Renaissance.[12]
This is particularly true of the Io and
Jupiter and Leda and the Swan, as
both works depict the sexual act itself, while Ganymede and Danae show
the moments before the act.[13]
If we look first
at Jupiter and Io in relation to the
original story in Metamorphoses we
can see just how erotic Correggio’s interpretation is. The beautiful Io,
daughter of the river god Inachus, catches the attention of Jupiter one day as
she is returning from her father’s banks. Although she spurns the advances of
Jupiter and runs away, the god, “concealed the land entirely beneath a dense
dark mist and seized her and dishonoured her” (830-32). Although the rest of
the story continues on, telling of Jupiter’s jealous wife Juno and how Jupiter
transforms Io into a heifer in an effort to hide his misdeed, it is the sexual
act itself, mentioned in under three lines, that Correggio chooses to depict.
Ovid does not describe the rape explicitly, but this vagueness leaves a large
amount of leeway for Correggio to creatively imagine how the dramatic scene
would unfold. Absent in Correggio’s interpretation of the encounter, however,
is any sense of violence.
In Correggio’s
painting it is not a scene of rape, but rather that of sexual ecstasy. Jupiter,
instead of disguised within the fog, appears to be actually made of the vapor
himself. His face appears through the haze to delicately plant a kiss on Io’s
mouth, and he snakes a hefty cloudy arm around her waist. The nude Io meanwhile,
seated upon crinkled draperies, throws her head back with pleasure and seems to
pull Jupiter in closer. She kicks her right leg out in bliss while her arm
wraps around Jupiter’s and the expression of her right hand seems to further emphasize
her enjoyment.[14]
The cloud in Ovid’s story is simply a disguise to hide Jupiter's adultery from the
jealous Juno, but here the cloud and Jupiter are one and the same, and the mist
itself seems to be the source of Io’s sexual pleasure.[15]
The couple is thus shown in a passionate, and clearly consensual embrace. Io’s
submission to Jupiter is perhaps a part of male fantasy and the idea of,
“blissful surrender.”[16]
This is contrary to Ovid’s telling of the story, where Io runs from Jupiter and
is taken against her will.
The vertically
formatted painting is devoid of excess detail and instead the pair fills most
of the composition.[17]
The dark cloudy mass that is Jupiter fills the entire upper part of the canvas.
The details that are included consist of the head of a deer, which is thinly
painted over the rocks beneath Io, drinking the water at her feet.[18]
Further emphasizing this theme of water, is the terracotta urn to the right of
Io. The urn was an antique symbol for a river source, which is an allusion to
Io’s father.[19]
The theme of water is also related to the vaporous form of Jupiter’s cloud.[20]
Perhaps Correggio’s interest in water relates to the idea of transformation, as
water can easily transform into different states just as the God does himself.
Io herself is painted as a lovely, youthful
maiden, with a fancy hairstyle of lush curls and smooth supple skin.[21]
Her hairstyle is quite different from other female figures by Correggio, and
Gould suggests that this coif may have been influenced by Parmigianino’s work.[22]
In the painting, Correggio masterfully renders textures, and her skin seems almost
life-like between the cool dark cloud and the bright white of the sheet.[23]
His expert use of shading gives life to the work, and is particularly essential
to show the face of Jupiter appearing from the mist.
The cloud
shrouding Jupiter is meant to hide him from the watchful eyes of his jealous
wife Juno. However, the scene of adultery is not hidden from us the viewers. In
this sense, we are meant to feel like a fourth participant in the scene. Juno
cannot perceive the adulterous sexual act, but we can.[24]
This work therefore is not intended for a female viewer to observe, but rather
for the eye of the male voyeur.[25]
Perhaps it is this voyeurism of a private and furthermore secret act that makes
it acceptable for Correggio to depict such an explicit subject. Jupiter and Io
are so caught up in their raptures, that they are unaware they have been seen.
The viewer, seemingly stumbling across the couple in the woods, functions to
foreshadow the later suspicion of Juno when she perceives the conspicuous dark
cloud on earth. The viewer, aware of the events of Ovid’s story, would know
Io’s pleasure is short lived as she will soon be turned into a heifer and
subjected to the jealousy-driven punishments of Jupiter’s neglected wife. In
this painting, Correggio certainly pushes the boundary for explicitness, but
the delicateness of his rendering, and the more cloudy than bodily form of
Jupiter tempers what might otherwise be overt eroticism.
[1]
Leonard
Barkan, Gods made Flesh (United States of America: Yale University,
1986), 175.
[2]
Paul
Barolsky, "Ovid's Web." Arion 11, no. 2 (2003): 47.
[3]
Barkan, 176.
[4]
Cecil Hilton
Monk Gould, The Paintings of Correggio (Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University
Press, 1976), 132.
[5]
Ekserdjian,
David, "Correggio." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online,
http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T019595 (accessed
April 16, 2010).
[6]
Barolsky,
"Ovid's Web," 50.
[7]
Cecil Hilton
Monk Gould, The School of Love and Correggio’s Mythologies (London:
Trustees Publ. Dep., Nat. Gallery, 1970), 5.
[8]
Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 124.
[9]
Gould, School of Love, 5.
[10]
Ekserdjian, Correggio, Grove Art.
[11]
Ibid.
[12]
Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 131.
[13]
David
Ekserdjian, Correggio (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997),
288.
[14]
Ekserdjian, Correggio,
284.
[15]
Barolsky,
"Ovid's Web," 47.
[16]
Ekserdjian, Correggio
284.
[17]
Ibid.
[18]
Ekserdjian, Correggio,
286.
[19]
Ibid.
[20]
Barolsky,
"Ovid's Web," 50.
[21]
Ekserdjian, Correggio, grove.
[22]
Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 133.
[23]
Ekserdjian, Correggio,
284.
[24]
Barolsky,
"Ovid's Web," 48.
[25]
Barolsky,
"Ovid's Web," 47.
Very interesting, Angela. I've not read this before.
ReplyDeleteLinda Wright